Pass me by
by wishing-is-wasting
Summary: In their late twenties Gabriella finds herself watching as all her friends settle down, feeling more and more like an outsider she can only dream of the perfect guy. But things are about to change for everyone, but for better or for worse?
1. Never too old!

**AN Ok so this is my new story and its set when the gang is about 28/29, anyways i hope you enjoy it and dont worry this may contain troypay but it will be a troyella, so review please and i'll update soon.**

"Are we too old for sleepovers?" Gabriella giggled down the phone

"Gabs…I think we grew out of that say when we were teenagers" Taylor laughed back, knowing her friends signature pout would be evident on her face at this moment

"Yeah but…You and Sharpay are all busy being married and stuff. I feel like we never hang out anymore!" Gabriella protested, tucking a stray curl behind her ear

"No we aren't! Just cause we're married doesn't mean we abandoned you!"

"You so totally did! You guys like talk about cushion covers and husbands while I'm living in the centre of Alberqueue in a flat!" Gabriella pointed out,

She heard Taylor sigh at the other end of the line

"Okay then, heck it might make me feel younger! God knows I need it. Pushing 30 already! Who woulda thought?" Gabriella giggled

"At least you have a life! I'm living in the same flat I did 5 years ago without a hint of a boyfriend!" She smiled weakly,

"Very true Gabs. So tomorrow night?" Taylor questioned

Gabriella grinned again

"Yep! My place!"

"See ya then!"

"Bye!" Gabriella called down the line, even though she knew Taylor had already hung up. Sometimes she couldn't help but be resentful of her best friends. Sure she was happy for them, being married and all but it would leave her wistfully wondering about her own life. While all three were pushing thirty at least Taylor and Sharpay had something to show for it, Husbands, houses and cars! All Gabriella had was her treasured flat and worn out party dresses from her clubbing days. Now though she had no one to go clubbing with as all her friends were married or looking for maturer men – the type you wouldn't find at night clubs.

With a small sigh she dialled her other best friends number and eagerly pressed the phone against her ear

"Hello?" Came his deep handsome voice. She knew it was stupid and wrong, but whenever she heard his voice, her heart would do back flips and she would resist an urge to scream.

"Hi. Isn't this Sharpay's cell?" Gabriella queried, her heart pounding underneath her pyjama top.

"Yeah, but I am her husband. I'll just get her for you" Gabriella smiled into the phone and couldn't help but feel oddly depressed. She had always been slightly upset when Sharpay went out with Troy. True she knew nothing about Gabriella's secret crush on him but either way it still hurt. But that was in High School. Ages ago. And it wasn't like she knew she liked Troy. She still remembered the night she told Tay about her secret feeling for her, how she had sworn her to secrecy. How the very next day Sharpay had asked Troy out. Her heart still dropped thinking about it.

"Hello? Gabriella?" Sharpay called out down the phone, jerking Gabriella back to her reality

"Hey Shar" Gabriella whisper subduedly.

"What's up?"

For a moments she felt downcast before shaking it off

"Me and Tay are having a sleepover tomorrow night. Wanna come?"

Gabriella heard Sharpay pause

"Sleepovers are so High School" She said in a really mean tone, and instantly all the bitchiness from High School was back.

"Oh" Gabriella muttered, feeling ashamed of the idea and how naïve she was being.

"I love it! A sleepover sounds totally fabulous!"

"Funny" Gabriella said, not meaning it at all. It was times like this when she wondered why she was even friends with her.

"Okay, well I've got some business with my husband to attend to, so toodles!" With that the phone beeped in her ear and Gabriella fell back onto the bed with a flump feeling even more defeated and depressed than before.

It was just that sometimes she wondered if she would ever be collected the way Sharpay and Taylor had been. Or if her friends and her life was just going to pass her by in a haze of the unknown, while she watched from the outside. That was her biggest fear.

Sure she always pretended that she adored being single, said she was happy for her bestest friends but that she thought she wasn't ready to get married and just didn't want to get married at this point in her life. Sometimes she even manages to convince herself of that. But when she was alone…then she would cry for the family she might never have, for the perfect boyfriend she had never met, for the suburban house she had yet to find.

With a defeated sigh she heaved herself off the bed and towards the kitchen. At least she could eat whatever she wanted without having to worry about her boyfriend thinking she was fat. She opened the fridge door and blinked as the harsh fridge light hit her tired face, reaching for the ice cream, she ran a hand through her hair.

Shuffling towards the couch she threw the gently melting ice cream onto the sofa as she switched the TV on. Grabbing her spoon she flopped onto the sofa besides the ice cream and pried the lid off. Sinking further back into the cushions she prepared herself for yet another lonely night of indulgence.

* * *

"Hey, you've reached me Gabi! I'm obviously not home or busy now so leave a message and I'll get back to you! BEEP"

Gabriella opened a sleepy eye from her comfy position on her bed. Yawning slightly she listened out for the message

"Hey Brie…Its me Troy. Umm I know you're busy tonight but I was wondering if you wanted to meet for lunch today? We haven't talked in a while and I well…miss it. Well call me back I guess"

Gabriella blinked open her other eye and stared at her machine in shock. No one ever phoned her in the morning…let alone Troy.

With a sleepy grumble she drew back her duvet and plonked her feet down on the plush carpet, which admittedly needed a good hoover. She glanced at her phone which was flashing red, causing redness to enfulge her darkened room every few seconds.

"Why do you have to phone?" She muttered to herself blearily, as she staggered towards the source of light. Tiredly she reached out for her phone

"You have one new message!" It told her chirpily,

"Yeah. Tell me something I don't know" She muttered again

"You have one new message!"

"I know that" Gabriella muttered rubbing the sleep and yesterdays make up out of her eyes

"You have one new message!" The phone once again told her

Gabriella slammed it down causing it to emit a low beep.

"Fuck you" She declared to no one in particular. It could've been the phone. The day. Even troy.

Hesitantly she walked to her curtains drawing them and letting the gorgeous Alberqueue morning light. She blinked in the harsh new light, and padded to the door desperate to escape the bedroom and the phone.

As the light flooded the small flat Gabriella reached the kitchen, which looked a lot messier than she had left it last night. Or maybe it was just the fact that she could see all the mess littering every surface now. She wasn't too sure. All she was sure about was that she needed coffee. Now.

An hour, four cups of coffee and one quick shower later Gabriella was ready for work. She had dressed down in a simple dress. Even though it was kinda short. She smiled at her reflected self and ran a hand through her loose hair one last time. Out of the corner of her eye she could still see her damn machine blinking that cursed red light at her.

Normally she loved meeting Troy for lunch. Catching up on gossip, talking and reminiscing. Before he went out with Sharpay they had been great friends, but after Sharpay…It was like he had thrown aside her for a new better model, leaving her un spoken to unwanted. Not that he'd done it on purpose. And Ever since they had started work they would meet up to go for lunch. But now…with all of these clashing thoughts bouncing around her head she just didn't trust herself to be alone with him. The last thing she wanted was to hurt one of her best friends.

Grabbing her keys and purse off the sofa she hurried out the door slamming it shut behind her. Once she was out in the cool spring air she let herself relax a little. She had managed to escape the message and all the mess. It was a nice day and she could forget all about him. Unless he turned up at her office for lunch. That would not be good. Just as her heart starting to race at the idea her phone emitted a shrill ring and started vibrating around like crazy. With a sigh she stopped and began a heinous task. Searching through an over crowded bag for a phone. Eventually her hands grasped the smooth metal and she flipped it open.

"Hello?" She gasped breathlessly into it, her heart racing

"Hey Brie…Its me"

Her heart dropped. She knew only too well who 'me' was.

"Troy" She said

"Well you didn't get back to my message this morning and I just wanted to know if-"

Gabriella squeezed her eyes tight shut, fighting the urge to hang up

"Troy. My boss wants me. Talk later bye" She said quickly before slamming her phone shut so hard it was a wonder it didn't smash as she flipped the button to off and shoved it hastily in her bag. Before continuing her walk to work. Alone.

**So let me know what you guys think and if i get reviews i'll update before the weekend!**


	2. I do know

**AN Ok i'm not really sure if people**** like this story so if you od can you please review, so that i know people are reading it!Anyways i hope you like this chapter and yes Gabriella does go a little crazy but thats because shes frustrated and i dunno PMS?lol, anyways enjoy and review!**

**disclaimer - i can only dream of owning hsm..**

Gabriella's phone buzzed next to her. Again.

"Troy, let it go" She murmured to herself, as she irritably tapped a pencil on her desk.

He had been phoning or texting every half an hour, like some kind of weirdo stalker. If Gabriella hadn't know better she would've said he was acting like a man in love. But of course he was in love with Sharpay.

Just then a loud ringing started up again and Gabriella was about to throw her cell against the wall when she realised it was the office phone.

"Hello" She stated calmly into the receiver "Gabriella Montez speaking"

"Hello" Came a crackly voice through it "This is reception calling. I have a man here to see you. A Mr Troy Bolton? Do you want to come down?"

Gabriella sighed. What the hell was wrong with him today? He was never normally so clingy and paranoid. She hesitated before replying

"I'm currently busy. Could you tell him I'll get back to him later?" She asked sweetly

She paused as she heard the receptionist repeat this to Troy, who mumbled something in response

"He says if you don't come down he'll come up" She repeated, causing Gabriella to scowl.

"I'll be right down" She muttered angrily slamming the phone down.

Grabbing her bag, she swooped out of her office and onto the elevator.

Moments later she the elevator doors swooshed open and she saw him standing awkwardly amongst the modern furniture, his hands rooted in his jeans pockets staring out the window.

"Hey" She said wearily

"Hey stranger" He smiled as he whipped round to look at her

She smiled at him briefly

"Troy. What are you doing here?" She asked despairingly

A frown crossed his face, as his aquamarine eyes darkened

"You were avoiding me. I kinda thought something was up" He shrugged embarrassedly

"Troy…I'm just really busy…" she lied, the words tripping off her tongue

"Damn it Gabriella you're not! Now we are going to lunch and we are going to talk about this" Gabriella looked frightened. He had never yelled at her like that before, and she had never seen him lose his temper. Much to her disgust she felt tears welling up in her eyes.

Instantly his face softened

"Hey. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get mad" He told her earnestly, wrapping his arms tightly around her body "I just want things to be like they were in High School" he whispered into her ear.

Gabriella pushed him away, a scowl evidently plastered across her face

"What?" Troy asked

"God Troy" she fumed "Things are so much better for you than they were in High School, so don't give me that shit about wanting to be in High School again! You have a wife a house everything, I have NOTHING!" Gabriella started sniffing now, desperate to stop the cascade of tears she knew would soon be dripping down her cheeks

"And you know what Troy, if you cant see that you're the luckiest guy in the world then you don't deserve Sharpay."

"Gabs…" Troy started "You know I love Sharpay"

Gabriella blinked back the tears

"Then why do you want to go back to a time where you hated Sharpay?" Gabriella asked tearfully

"Brie…" Troy soothed "I just meant in the sense that we were like best friends then and now…." He trailed off not needing to finishing his sentence. They both knew what he meant.

"Troy" Gabriella asked, after she had calmed down.

"Yeah" he smiled at her as they walked out the building, side by side "Why did you say yes when Sharpay asked you out?"

Troy froze. He couldn't tell her the answer. Anyway, it wouldn't matter, his feelings had changed since then.

"Because I uh really uh liked her" He muttered, his pockets stuffed in his pockets, his eyes looking at the floor

"Oh" Gabi nodded "And the truth?"

"I was lonely" He admitted simply, his head low " All the other guys had their girls who wore their shirts at the games, and I … when I looked up, no one was wearing a 14 jersey. " he looked up, and Gabriella swore that she saw tears sparkling in his eyes

"I would've worn it, if you wanted me too" She pointed out gently

"Brie… It wouldn't of been the same"

They continued walking slowly up the street

"And then everyone found and we were going out, I just didn't have the heart to break up with her, and I guess I kinda fell in love with her?" He shrugged helplessly.

Gabriella felt her chest pounding. He had used one of her best friends in High School. If she hadn't been so damn shy then she could be Mrs Troy Bolton right now….

"And now I feel so happy I said yes, cause Pay is the bets thing that has ever happened to me!"

Gabriella smiled, her heart dropping down to her throat, like a rock carelessly tossed of a cliff.

"Oh " She muttered subdudley

"And" Troy continued "When we went out everyone had someone, Chad and Taylor, Ryan and Kelsi, Jason and Martha, and Zeke and uh… well his girlfriend. I just got to lonely, y'know?"

Gabriella stopped walking

"Yeah Troy I do know. I didn't have a boyfriend. And then when you and Sharpay got together I barely went out" She admitted, tears threatening to fall yet again "Because everyone wanted to do couple stuff, and I wasn't part of a couple"

She hastily wiped her eyes, not daring to look up into Troy's piercing Blue ones.

"Brie…." He broke off, not knowing what to say in response. " I'm sorry?" He whispered

Gabriella shrugged it off

"It was ok. I mean I got a lot of studying done when you guys were all out and it gave me time to read." She smiled lightly "It was hard at first but I kinda got used to the idea that I wasn't really wanted"

Troy fell silent, feeling worse than ever, for abandoning his best friend in what should have been the best year of her life.

"Don't beat yourself up Troy. My life's just …like that. Even now"

She muttered the last part quietly to herself, but Troy still heard

"What do you mean 'even now'?" He questioned, fearing her answer

Gabriella shrugged

"Even now ten years later everyone else has a partner and a house and I live alone in a flat"

She didn't mean to sound blunt, to make Troy feel like the worse friend ever. She told him because it was the truth. Sometimes she did feel like they were to busy for her. Too busy being grown ups.

"Troy don't feel bad" She muttered gently,

His aquamarine eyes focused on hers

"I don't know what to say Brie" He whispered, his voice low and croaky.

Gabriella shook her head, this talk was getting way too serious for her.

"I should get back to work" She said, and before he could open his mouth she was gone. Her heels clicking against the hard pavement. Leaving Troy alone and confused, amidst all the wild thoughts bombarding his mind.

* * *

"Hey Pay" Troy muttered as he flung open the door to their roomy house

"Hey Troysie" He heard Sharpay call back form one of the many rooms in the house,

"Where are you?" HE asked, his voice raised

"Bedrooom" Her voice drifted down and Troy sighed, shrugging his coat off an d hanging it on the peg. As he walked up the thickly carpeted stairs his eyes drifted to gold framed pictures that adorned the walls. He felt his heart drop realising that like she had said she either wasn't in them or was stood to one side, while everyone else was with their respective partner.

"Hey baby" Sharpay cooed, drawing him out of his current thought

"Oh hey" He muttered distractedly, his eyes still glued to the several pictures

"Whatcha doing??" She asked curiously peering over his shoulder desperate to see what enthralled him so deeply

"Why isn't Gabriella in this picture?" HE demanded, pointing his finger towards the goldframed picture, his face creased up as he frowned

Sharpay tilted her head to one side as she tried to remember

"Oh…That's because that was couples games night" She said brightly,

"And this?" HE asked his hand moving downwards towards another pic

"Duh" Sharpay giggled "Couples ice skating!" She pointed at the ice behind them

"How can you not feel bad about this?" He demanded, irked by his wife's uncaring attitude to the problem that was causing him so much pain

"About what?" She asked icily, all traces of laughter gone

"About the fact that we always seem to leave Brie out?"

Sharpay shrugged

"I dunno. I guess its always been like that. I don't think she minds anymore"

Sharpay smiled brightly at him, her eyes lighting up as she caught sight of another pictures

"Ohhh, I look cute in that one!" She exclaimed as she caught sight of a picture of her and Troy.

**Reviews please!!**


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